I started buying coconut water and organic soy milk from my neighborhood 99 cent store ( I am sooo happy they exist and sell these, regular markets charge sometimes 3 times as much for same brand) And by the way I buy WestSoy soy milk bec...ause it does not contain carageen...if you don't know whats bad about carageen, Google it. Anyway, to save more money I freeze the coconut water and soymilk (in seperate) freezer trays and use the cubes in smoothies. I usually add 3 cubes coconut water and 4 cubes soy milk. I throw them in after I add everything else and let them melt -- then I blend them together. Yum!


I make a smoothie everyday...here's the recipe for the one I'm drinking right now.

3 cubes frozen coconut water

4 cubes frozen soy milk (organic)

1/2 cup parsley

1/2 banana

2 large carrots (juiced)

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup spring water

teaspoon ground flax seed ( I use Bob's Red Mill) I don't have a grinder right now.

 

 

Throw these into a blender

Allow the frozen cubes to melt; it takes about 15 minutes and then blend mixture

Enjoy!

 

 

xo   Inge

Its Cold and that Means Chili!

Its cold outside and that means its time for chili. Here's my recipe for my famous vegan chili.



First of all I soak 1/2 cup of raw black beans. Its ususally takes a few hours and then they are ready to be cooked. I sometimes soak them overnight...whatever is easiest for you. The beans are ready to use in chili when you can easily smash it with a fork. 1/2  cup dry beans will turn into a little over a cup of cooked beans.


Now take out a large soup pot and pour olive oil on the bottom...enough to sautee a chopped onion. When the onions are carmelized, add a 16 oz can of tomatoes. I use organic diced from Trader Joes. Then I add 1/3 bag organic corn from (you guessed it...Trader Joes). Sometimes I throw in an organic chopped potato or green pepper.


Sooooo, where's the chili seasoning? I used to buy ready made but after reading what is in processed foods these days, I want to know whats in my food and that includes seasonings. McCormicks, which is the chili seasoning I used to use only lists a couple of ingredients and the rest are "natural". The word "natural" is not regulated and since they spent a great deal of money fighting Prop 37...I no longer give them my money.


I found a terrific recipe from this blogger and you can find her over here...http://www.mybakingaddiction.com/homemade-chili-and-taco-seasoning/


For this recipe I use 2 tablespoons of chili seasoning. You can always use more or less.


Here's how to make your own:


4 tablespoons of chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons paprika
2 tablespoons ground cumin
3 teaspoons sea salt
4 teaspoons black pepper


I keep it stored in a ziplock baggie.



xo      Inge

I was in Mother' Market the other day and I was hungry so I bought myself a smoothie. I decided on their breakfast smoothie, even though it was late afternoon because I never had one with granola in it. It was really good but expensive....$8 for 16 ounces. I figured in the future I can make my own at home.



Here's my recipe: 1/2 cup mixed berry organic juice, 1/2 cup organic soymilk, 1 banana, 1/2 cup Nature's Path Hemp Granola Cereal. Blend in blender and you got breakfast or snack you can take with you.


xo Inge

 

 

 

 

 

Do you live near a Dollar Store or 99 cent store that sells food? Check the shelves and even the frresh produce section because they are selling more and more organic and healthy choices. I found organic plain soymilk from WestSoy and Parro...t coconut water. The other day they had orangic lettuce and arugala in a package. I made myself a green smoothie with 1/3 rd of the can of coconut water and I poured the rest in an ice tray to use later.

In case you are wondering what else I added to smoothie:

1 banana, 1/2 cup kale, 1/2 cup parsley, 1/2 cup spring water and 1/3 can coconut water. Yum!

 

 

xo     Inge

 

 

 

 

Parsley isn't just a pretty garnish. Do you know it has anti-oxident properties like luteolin, a flavonoid that searches out and kills free radicals in the body? It contains an organic compound called myristicin that can stop the formation o...f tumors (like in the lungs) and helps fight against colon and prostrate cancer. Two tablespoons of parsley contains 153% of the RDA of vitamin K, which is necessary for the synthesis of osteocalcin, a protein that strengthens the composition of our bones. It also prevents calcium build-up in our tissue that can lead to cardiovascular disease. Parsley contains vitamin C an effective anti-inflammatory agent within the body... inflammation is bad news for our bodies. Oh, I almost forgot....it alkaline! Anyone who knows me -- knows alkaline is my favorite food group.

 

 

Parsley doesn't taste so great to me so I add it to my daily green smoothie. I am drinking one right now.... I threw in 1/4 cup parsley, 1/2 cup kale, one banana, 1/5 cup spring water, 1/4 organic soymilk, and splash orange juice.

Happy New Year! There are millions if not zillions of terrific bloggers out there and everyday I run into someone who I completely resonate with. They inspire me and give me ideas how to live a healthy life that I probably would never have thought of on my own. Have you heard the phrase, "No man is an island?" Well, I think that's so true. We are all interconnected... sharing ideas and insights is important to me... so I put together my favorite blogsites to share with you.

1. Kris Carr -- http://kriscarr.com/ comes in at number one. I don't remember how I found her website in 2011 because I was pretty drugged up on pain meds during that time... I was in the middle of my cancer treatment and I wanted to find out how I got this disease. Back then her site was called Crazy Sexy Cancer... she posted her story about living with cancer, that included an online support group for anyone facing health challenges. Kris is one of my online heroes. She got me started on my journey to wellness.

2. Flaming Vegan -- http://www.theflamingvegan.com/ Its all about living and eating veganstyle. Did I mention I'm vegan?

3. Purpose Fairy -- http://www.purposefairy.com/about/ I am convinced that we have to keep our minds healthy along with our body to stay in balance. This can be tricky at times because we can come in contact with lots of negative junk when we venture outside our home or even when we turn on the television. I am also a believer that we create our own reality and I want to work on being happy... no matter what. This gal's site is packed with tools to help me stay on that path.

4. Louise Hay -- http://www.healyourlife.com/ I was introduced to Louise Hay when a friend sent me her book, "You Can Heal Your Life". It helped me get through my cancer treatments and I still use it as a reference book.

5. Cherie Roe Dirksen -- http://cherieroedirksen.com/ Cherie always seems to write about topics that are relevent to my life. She is all about self-empowerment and offers tips and solutions how to stay balanced.

6. Positively Positive -- http://www.positivelypositive.com/ This site is packed with inspiring stories by different authors. Need I say more?

7. Food Babe -- http://foodbabe.com/ This gal knows her stuff when it comes to finding healthy eats. I found her blog when I was working to get Prop 37 passed...the right to know what we are eating initiative. She is anti GMO...just like me...but thats a whole other post.

 Well, thats my list so far. I'm always finding something wonderful on the web and as soon as I do you know I will share with you.

I hope the New Year is everything you hope for. As for me ... I am focusing on my emotions. I am learning that I control my experience. I cannot always control outside forces, but I can control how I respond. My goal is to feel happy no matter what.


xo   Inge

John and I went to Olive Garden for dinner. We used our gift certificate and I feel sick, bloated. I can really tell the differnce between fresh and processed food now, since I have been eating healthy for over a year. Their dinner rolls tasted like flour water and yeast, zero flavor. I'm happy we didn't pay for that meal. John's happy I chose not to interrogate our server about GMOs.

I made the abosulte BEST smoothie just now. I bought fresh figs at the store. They were on sale, so I figured I would try them. Eating them au naturale was pretty bland, so I decided to experiment. I peeled 7 figs and added them to 1/2 cup coconut milk, a banana and threw them in a blender. WOW! Who needs milkshakes? Make mine a fig smoothie! Figs are full of phyto-nutrients and anti-oxidents. They spoil fast so I suggest peeling and freezing them.

 

xo  Inge

I went to Costco today and found some unrefined, organic coconut oil. They had a huge container of it for $17. That does sound like alot but it was 54 oz., compared to Sprouts brand 16 oz for $8. I stir fried some veggies in my wok, using 2 tblsps of the oil. Yum! I sprinkled my special anti-oxident (tumeric, garlic powder, black pepper) spice blend over them as well.

I scooped some out and put them in one of my empty skin care bottles. I will use that coconut oil for my face moisturizer. Oh and you don't have to keep it in the refrigerator.  You can learn more about the benefits of virgin coconut oil here: http://www.naturodoc.com/library/nutrition/coconut_oil.htm

How much processed food do you and your family eat? Do you believe that if its for sale in your local grocery store it good for you? Do you believe that our goverment agencies like the FDA have your best interest at heart? Think again! Buyer beware! The reason these foods can sit in your pantry for years is because they contain additives that may make food stay fresh longer, but they do nothing for your body. Meaning, there is little to zero nutrition. You are better off eating the box it comes in.

This is nothing new. I remember hearing Suzanne Sommers telling people to only shop the perimeter of grocery stores and stay away from the processed food section. That was back in the early 90s.

"Global diets are increasingly facing the dual challenge of undernourishment and obesity. UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Olivier de Schutter, has released a new report calling for a reassessment of unhealthy food systems in both rich and poor countries. Both are increasingly characterized by an abundance of low nutrition, high calorie, processed foods."
http://michaelprager.com/content/globesity-malnutrition-and-other-joys-processed-food


If you want to stay as healthy as possible you have to eat healthy. No ifs ands or buts! We live in a toxic environment and our immune systems work overtime to keep us healthy. The very least we can do is to feed it good food.

I talk with so many people everyday who are fighting cancer or have just completed treatment, eating food that is total crap! And don't get me started with the nurses! They should know better. I believe that alot of the diseases today are caused by mal-nutrition. All the good nutrients have been removed and replaced with chemicals made in a laboratory. If you can't pronounce the ingredients, put it back on the shelf.


My cancer diagnosis was a major wake up call for me. I considered myself mostly vegetarian although I did eat chicken about once a week. When I tried going strictly vegetarian my hair statred falling out after a few months. I was told at the time I needed protein. But I have been vegan for over a year and I haven't lost anymore hair. I believe its because I eat better. I was eating way too much processed food loaded with gmos, antibiotics and growth hormones; combine that with stress and bamm! I am the perfect for environment for cancer!


If you have been diagnosed or are in remmission, I strongly suggest you change your diet. For example, dieting. Most people regain all the weight they lost while dieting because when they lost the weight they wanted, they started eating the same foods that made them fat in the first place. They have to change their eating habits for life to keep the weight off.  Its the same with cancer patients. If they want to have the best chance of success (no more cancer) they have to change their lifestyle and eating habits for life.


Yes, serious illnesses can be pre-determined, but thats a small percentage. Studies show that most cancers are from the environment. Our environment isn't changing anytime soon but you can strengthen your immune system by eating healthy foods, getting plenty of rest and exercising. http://www.organicconsumers.org/foodsafety/cancer070104.cfm


Have you heard about Meatless Monday lately? Thats a good way to begin to eat more healthy.

http://www.meatlessmonday.com/why-meatless/

 I changed my diet immediately but you can start slowly. Like I mentioned in an earlier blog, its all about keeping our bodies alkaline. Protein is acid, so are medications. Fruits and vegetables, nuts, legumes are all alkaline. Change your diet, change your life for the better.

xo   Inge

These past ten days have been going non-stop but I finally came back up for air. I don't know if I mentioned
before that I have a slight case of OCD (my diagnosis) and when I get focused on something I am
passionate about, I think about it 24/7-even in my sleep. Being a cancer survivor, I know this is not good for me. I have to have balance and that goes for all of us, not just survivors. Maybe if we all
had more balance in our lives we wouldn't get sick or at least get well faster.

These days we rush around like maniacs and for what? To be the first one to sit at a red light?  Sit at a computer all day and then rush home to fix dinner for the family, help the kids with homework, then stare at a computer at night to see whats happening on facebook, or play "words the friends" or watch housewives from (you name the city) fight and be rude to each other. Then spend the weekends catching up on housework, taking the kids to endless activities, and on and on.

Where is the "down" time. The quiet time where one can just de-stress. We were told these expensive electronic gadgets would make our lives better but in my opinion its made us more impatient and rushed. For example, I was at a party the other day. I watched some guests playing roulette and someone complained the ball took too long to go around the wheel! Can you imagine! Its a game and no one was going anywhere, but the ball was taking to long to go around the wheel!

All this impatience adds to stress and stress not only creates body fat but it creates DISEASE! Like cancer! We need to "chill out!" And that includes me. I was talking with a patient yesterday who is 77
years old, but looks around 60ish. He defintely looks better than alot of men in the 50s and he survived cancer. He was getting some fluids because of the intense heat we are experiencing (thats a whole other topic) but even with that he looked great.


He told me when he was diagnosed with cancer he changed his whole life. He thought he was living a healthy lifestyle since he was 19 but there was things in his diet that he could do without and that was meat. We agreed that today's meat is NOT the same as it was 20 years ago. He has been cancer free for one year just like me. He starts his day with stretches and lifts small weights. He told me that we really don't need to spend all that money at a gym because we have all we need right at home. We can walk for 20 minutes right around our neighborhood and as for weights we can use bottled waters or large canned goods. We can use chairs or counters to help us stretch. He also does some Tai Chi.

Our conversation really got me to thinking. I was meant to meet Phil. I am also guilty of falling off the "take care of Inge" wagon. I was not stretching as much as I should. I need to walk more everyday. I am not meditating a few minutes every day anymore. Yes, I am sticking to my vegan diet but food is not the only thing we need to be aware of to stay healthy. We are whole beings. My cats are good teachers. They know how to relax. I need to get back on track. And I am starting today. I have no excuse for not taking time out for me at least one hour  day.

How about you? What are you doing for you to feel healthy, to de-stress? If you have kids it's time to delegate. Have them load the dish washer, help fix dinner, help clean the house. They may not do as good a job as you, but that's where you need to "chillout". So the house is a little dusty, the floors
 aren't mopped exactly like you would do it. And get hubby involved, he can take the kids to soccer or ballet or swimming. Turn off the television a few nights a week. Read that book, meditate. Get a foot massge. In other words take care of yourself and get off the "crazy train" for a while! Your body will thank you.


and don't forget to eat your fruits and veggies!    xo  Inge

This looks like a refreshing healthy summer treat!

I found this on Facebook....

6 Healthy Foods To Replace Your Naughtier Preferences Without Sacrificing Flavor

Just because you’re trying to eat more healthily doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your favorite food preparations! There are a number of nutritious ingredie...nts that can replace your naughtier preferences without forgoing flavor. Try the following examples and see if your palate isn’t as pleased as your waistline!

1. Quinoa instead of rice or pasta

White rice and pasta are “bad” or simple carbs--you know, the ones that don’t provide much in the way of nutrition. But quinoa! This amazing ancient grain not only acts as a perfect platform for soaking up sauces, just like pasta and rice, but also it’s a complete protein, which means it delivers all nine of the essential amino acids.

2. Shaved zucchini instead of pasta

Another magical swap, shaved zucchini (created by shaving zucchini into strands with a vegetable peeler) can carry sauces from the plate to your palate--and add a serving of veggies to your dish to boot. Bonus: You don’t even have to cook it and it’s a refreshing way to serve saucy dishes during summer’s heat!


3. Coconut water instead of Gatorade

Unless you’re a serious athlete, you don’t need the kind of potassium and electrolytes found in Gatorade anyway; gulping down a good amount of water will more than do the trick for the average gym goer. But coconut water, or the water harvested from inside young coconuts, does provide additional nutritional value over water--without the additives found in sports drinks. Expect great, refreshing, even sweet taste plus about as much potassium as you’d find in a banana.

4. Spinach and tomato sauce instead of spaghetti with sauce

Let’s be honest. Pasta’s main purpose is to be a vehicle for sauce. So why not drive your favorite pasta sauce into your mouth via a more healthy vehicle? Cooked spinach can be a perfect partner for tomato sauces--not to mention a valuable source of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, which are known to be anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer.


5. Kale chips instead of potato chips

We don’t need to tell you how unhealthy potato chips are. But you might like to know you can enjoy similarly crisp, greasy flavor and eat healthily if you reach for kale chips. There is a catch--you’ll need to make them yourself. But on the upside, all you need to do is de-stem kale leaves, spray them with a tiny bit of oil, sprinkle them with salt, and bake them for 10 to 15 minutes at an oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If you ate an entire bunch, you’d have satisfied your greens requirement for the day and only ingested about 200 calories!


6. Cauliflower instead of potatoes

Taste aside, there’s not much good that comes from mashed potatoes. But substitute even half of your spuds with cooked and mashed cauliflower and you’ll cut calories and add protein to your favorite rib-gripping side dish. After all, pound for pound, potatoes have nearly four times as many calories as cauliflower.

Source: Prevent DiseaseSee More

https://www.facebook.com/wellnessuncovered

I drove to Los Angeles yesterday to have lunch with James. He flew in from the Bay Area for work.

We were supposed to go to a vegan restaurant but I let him off the hook and we went to an organic restaurant instead. I ordered the *Happy Vegan* salad but it looked and tasted more like birdseed with cranberries and lots of lettuce.

There was a green smoothie/juice truck that we stopped at on the way to his hotel. I got an Orange Cream...it was delicious!  Here is their link  http://opensourceorganics.com/menu-smoothies/

I plan to try some of their recipes at home....

James works for Capitol, so we got to go to the roof and take pictures.

I had a great time with my son...I always do. Spending the day in LA was like taking a mini vacation.

eat your fruits & veggies!   xo Inge

Making healthy alternatives to chips

I tried the pita bread and sprouted tortillas. Yum!

eat your fruits & veggies!   xo Inge

I ran out of my face cream and I didn't want to spend the money to buy more...mainly because we are on a tight budget these days and quality face cream is expensive. So I discovered online recipes to make my own. The easiest one I found is aloe mixed with lanolin. I already have a large bottle of aloe juice in the frig so all I needed to buy was the lanolin. An 8 ounce bottle is $6 in Sprouts; you can find it in most health food stores. My recipe is 1 part lanolin to 3 parts aloe. I mixed a small amount together and stored them in small glass jar I had  left over from something else...I have an assortment that I keep to use for other things. I keep the aloe in the frig, it seems to last a long time.

eat your fruits & veggies!

xo   Inge

I just made myself organic broccoli & organic potatoes (cooked them in olive oil in my wok) and dipped them in garlic hummus. Yum!

Threw some organic spinach, organic frozen raspberries (from Costco), vanilla soy milk, banana, and spring water that I can sip on throughout the day.

I have been on the go all week and today I am relaxing with my critters. My body was talking to me this morning so I better listen and take it easy.  I used to ignore my body and my immune system got run down. I know better now.

eat your fruits & veggies!
xo   Inge

I have been looking for a good alternative to cream cheese for my bagels so I checked out the fake cream cheeses on the market and frankly didn't care for any of them because of their texture. They taste fake. I always liked hummus though and since there are so many to choose from these days I chose to schmear some garlic flavored hummus on my toasted sesame seed bagel for lunch today. Then later on I wondered if hummus is alkaline or acid. I am all about keeping my body as alkaline as possible because disease can't flourish in an alkaline environment. Well guess what? It's alkaline! Looks like I'll be adding bagels with hummus to my regular diet. Oh, you can dip raw veggies in it too. Yum!

don't forget to eat your fruits & veggies! xo Inge

Found a good article about cancer fighting foods

http://naturalsociety.com/cancer-fighting-foods-4-anti-cancer-edibles/

eat your fruits & veggies!    xo  Inge

I have been quite busy lately and since I am away from home longer, I bring my own food. I get up 15 minutes earlier so I chop all the veggies I will be eating and adding to my green smoothies for the day. Today I tried out the new vegan c...ole slaw recipe I found on the web. It's super easy; just use prepackaged cole slaw; mix in Veganese Mayo and organic raisins. I ususally pack a peanut butter sandwich as well and of course a delicious smoothie. Oh, and an organic apple.

 

eat your fruits & veggies!    xo  Inge